


2.39 am

by ravengal



Category: Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-26
Updated: 2013-05-26
Packaged: 2017-12-13 00:40:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/817930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ravengal/pseuds/ravengal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was 2.39am and Pepper was amazed to find herself still at her employer's house at this hour.</p>
            </blockquote>





	2.39 am

It was 2.39 a.m. when Pepper glanced up from her laptop at the clock. Her eyes widened in shock to find that it was already so late, and that she was still at her employer’s house. No, she was not waiting for him to come home. Not really. Okay, maybe she was. Truth was, she had no idea where he was and for once, Jarvis was of no help. She’d spent the last few hours making herself not think of all the dire things that could have happened to him in some secluded part of the world while strutting around in that iron suit.

She sighed and shifted her gaze back to the blinking computer screen in front of her. She’d been clearing emails for hours, and every time she thought she was finally done, a whole new batch would come in. Didn’t his associates, clients and fans ever sleep? While clearing emails, she also busied herself with scheduling, re-scheduling and re-re-scheduling interviews, reviews, meetings, lunch meetings, parties, flights and dinner dates. 

She sent another email reply, and looked up from the screen again out at the ocean. It was quiet, shimmering underneath the moonlight. Staring at the calm water, Pepper wondered if this was going to be her life for the rest of it: running Stark Industries, staying married to her work, and sitting around waiting for a man to come home. There were days when this did not feel like enough, and she’d typed up a resignation letter which she still saved in her personal folder on her own laptop. However, every time she decided to print that letter and actually give it to him, Pepper always had a change of heart. She often wondered whether it was the work or the man that was keeping her here, and the answer was always elusive.

She was so lost in thought that she realised she had company only when she felt the sofa dip beside her. If she was any other person, this would be the time to freeze in fear and wonder which enemy of Iron Man had infiltrated the Stark mansion and was getting ready to either kill or abduct her. However, she was Pepper Potts, and that dip could only be caused by someone, and that someone must have also put Jarvis on standby mode so that she could be surprised by his entrance.

All right, so she was a little surprised. She’d really thought he was not coming home tonight. In addition, she wondered how she could have missed him coming up from his workshop. Despite strutting around as Iron Man, Tony Stark could still be light-footed when he wished to be. Pepper was reasonably impressed.

She waited a few seconds before turning to him with her calmest of face. “You missed five out of eight appointments today. There are ten documents that need your signature, and your board of directors really did not appreciate me re-scheduling them again for the fourth time.”

“Hello, Miss Potts. I’m glad to be home too.”

He flashed her a boyish but tired grin, and he tapped his fingers on the space between them. Pepper noticed some bloodstains on them, and held back the urge to reach out and wipe them away. “You really need to meet them, Tony. They are still very confused, and some quite appalled at the recent revelation of your double identity.”

“Okay, when did you re-schedule them to?”

“Thursday, 9 a.m.”

“I’ll be there.” Tony stopped tapping his fingers. A serious look clouded his very tired features, and Pepper knew Tony would keep this appointment. She’d better get started on re-scheduling the rest of his other appointments for the week, because she also knew Tony was fond of New York, and loved to stay up there for a while whenever he actually turned up for board meetings.

They did not talk any further. They just sat there, each casually looking in the other’s direction, and when she heard yet another email alert, Pepper went back to looking at her screen, suddenly wanting to lose herself in work yet again. Not only did she see the bloodstains, she also saw the darker rings under his eyes, the deeper lines on his face, and the fatigue weighing him down. He still looked well put-together, and yes very handsome, but he also looked so worn out. He never even looked this tired back in those wild partying days. Then again, Pepper thought, in those days he was younger, and less worried about the world. She turned to find him still looking at her. “Is there anything else, Mr Stark?” She sounded professional, but really all she wanted to know was whether Tony was okay.

“You should be asleep by now, Pepper.”

“Well, there was tons of work to do, and Jarvis was a great help, so I thought why not just stay here and carry on and…”

“Although it’s nice to come home and see you here. A most pleasant surprise. In fact, it’s like a scene from a romantic movie, where the hero comes home after a hard day’s work, to find his lady still up and waiting for him.”

She raised an eyebrow and suppressed a smile. “Firstly, we’re not in a movie. Secondly, I was not waiting for you. Thirdly, I’m not your lady.”

Tony grinned. “I saw my favourite pizza in the workshop, and you said you’re not waiting for me to come home and have a nice lazy late supper meal with you?”

“That was leftover pizza, Tony. Jim came over just now for dinner, we ordered extra and we could not finish. You are most welcome to it.”

“Oh, Rhodey, stealing my employee…” Tony looked pointedly at Pepper. “…when I’m not around.”

“I invited him.”  
“If you’re trying to make me jealous, it’s really working.”

“And I always thought you’re a magnanimous and understanding man.”

A ghost of a smile played along Pepper’s lips, and she watched as Tony’s gaze momentarily shifted to her lips, before going back up to stare right into her eyes. His eyes looked less dark now, and he had visibly relaxed a little. Pepper might be imagining things, but he looked as if he was happy about something. Whatever prompted that slight change of mood, Pepper sure did not know, and was not ready to know. 

She let the moment between them drag just a second more, before closing the laptop. “Okay, I think it’s time for me to get some sleep, and you, some food. The pizza is getting too cold.”

“Don’t go yet.” His voice was so soft and alluring.

“Tony, you need some rest.”

“Shhh…” 

What happened next was what Pepper could not have ever imagined, or fantasised about in all her limited free time. Tony closed the gap between them, wrapped his strong arms around her tiny waist, and leaned in to rest his forehead on the side of her head. She could feel his steady hot breath on her cheeks, and his clasped hands firmly resting on her left hip, and she felt all uncomfortable and comfortable at the same time. While she froze in his embrace, her mind was whirling non-stop, trying to figure out why Tony was doing what he was doing. Why must he always come along and complicate things? Why was he still not letting go? Why did it feel so reassuring to be held so gently by him? Why could she not just relax and enjoy this moment? Why was she feeling an urge to tilt her face and do something that she should have done that night, two months ago, on that rooftop when she was in a gorgeous dress and still on a high from having danced with him?

Suddenly she let out a breath that she did not even know she was holding in, and just as she relaxed, Tony pulled away. The gap between them returned, and his face was blank when he said, “Go home, Pepper. Get some sleep.”

She stood up too quickly, but still managed to balance on those crazy heels of hers. She swallowed before saying. “I’ll see you tomorrow at 9. Good night, Mr Stark.”

He leaned back against the sofa, hands clasped behind his head. “Good night, Miss Potts.”

Pepper walked a few more steps before turning back. “Eat something before you sleep.”

Tony made a face and waved her away. He closed his eyes and only opened them when he heard her car drive away into the night. He walked back down to the workshop, washed his hands clean of blood, and took a slice of the pizza. He made himself drink coffee instead of scotch, and tried not to dwell on how much it had meant to him just now to be holding a breathing and alive precious human being.

Back at home, Pepper was about to throw her laundry into the washing machine when she noticed the bloodstained prints on her white skirt. She stared at it for the longest of time, not understanding why she suddenly felt so cold and empty.

**Author's Note:**

> Set a month or so after the first Iron Man movie.
> 
> Any mistakes are my own.
> 
> Sorry for the crappy title again - I really hate naming my fics.


End file.
